Court backs Karzai term extension

Afghanistan's supreme court has recommended that Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, stay in office until elections are held on August 20, Afghan media has reported.The decision ends weeks of uncertainty about a potential power vacuum caused by the constitution's stipulation that the presidential term must end on May 21, despite elections being set for three months later.The move is also likely to fuel the fears of critics who are worried that Karzai will use the privileges of his office, such as access to state media and aircraft, to give him an unfair advantage in the election campaign.The court ruled there was a need for a "continuation" of leadership until the inauguration of the next leaders, a presidential spokesman told the AFP news agency.